Tag Archives: Samer Majzoub

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Equality & safe environment for women in societies is a moral duty . No woman should be discriminated against for her gender,skin colour,beliefs & cultural background or dress choice. Respectful & equal partnership between men & women forms better future for all. #WomensDay2019pic.twitter.com/LNpMXDUtFR

-The defaults agreed upon by all sides, no political interference and pressure should be on any judicial decision.
-There might be a need to have another look at having to separate the ministry of justice and the general attorney posts. For A:) it’s not relational that a minister who is part of a team acts without respect to the reflection of his/her chief and consideration of the directions of the group he/she is one of. The minister is not a separate entity, it’s a part of a whole government that works to implement its policies. B:) general attorney position is the highest profile job in the judicial class and needs to be always at far distance from any conflict of interest possibility.
-Lot of emotions around the subject matter cleverly used by the opposition and turned to be a hot media product .
-So far based on what has been reported, no judicial decision on SNC Lavalin had been reversed or obligated the minister to overturn.
-clear lack of crisis management at political, media and public opinion levels .
-SNC Lavalin as a Montreal, Quebec based huge body of 9000 employees nation wide and 32000 world wide ; Who would be responsible of loss of such an international Canadian very well established company in case it moved out from the county or closed its doors . Canadians have not heard from neither any figure nor any opinion what could have been the best way to save the thousands of jobs while applying justice on those who break the rules.
-The fact that only one interpretation version of what has been exchanged around the controversy has been heard up this moment of writing these lines. Furthermore, the long delay to get to hear other version(s) made the first one “as the truth nothing but the truth “in the minds of majority of Canadians.
-The vulnerability of the public opinion to the wave of media festival over the subject has been clear in the latest polls coming out recently.
-there were many attempts to categorize the controversy under the titles; sexism and a race discrimination because it happened that the minister in question was a woman and a native at the same time .
-One very troubling note that the populists around the country cherishing and jumping into the shouting match taking advantage of the political storm to express hate and bigotry, settling, in their minds, an account with a government because of what they consider its inclusive approach to Canadians from all backgrounds.

It should be acknowledged matter-of-factly in order for us to begin tackling the complicated parts of it.

The responses to the premier came from all sides of society: politicians, journalists and community figures. The hours that followed witnessed a half-hearted retraction from Mr. Legault’s office — a press aide later clarified that he meant there is no undercurrent of Islamophobia in Quebec — but the damage was done. Legault’s statement was like salt on a wound, souring the provincial government’s relationship with its many cultural communities.

There has certainly been no decrease in prejudice in Quebec, Ontario and the rest of the country. A 2018 Statistics Canada report shows that hate crimes reached an all-time high in 2017, based on incidents reported in both Quebec and Ontario. Quebec reported a 50-per-cent increase in the number of hate crimes in the month after the massacre in the mosque, mainly towards Muslim Quebecers. Ontario witnessed a 207-per-cent increase in hate crimes against Muslims, an 84-per-cent increase in crimes against Black people and 41-per-cent increase on incidents against Jewish people.

Taking into account that a good number of hate crimes are not reported for various reasons, these statistics are more than enough to be a wake-up call for Canadians to tackle a dangerous attitude contaminating our largely inclusive, peaceful and diverse country.

Bigotry has entered the public discourse, normalizing hatred and xenophobia.

Politicians and media outlets have fanned the flames of animosity, contributing to an atmosphere that promotes hate in extreme individuals. On some occasions, the authorities have arrested people who went public with hate speech against Muslim citizens. Bigotry has entered the public discourse, normalizing hatred and xenophobia. This will lead to the same violence that was demonstrated in the Quebec City mosque.

Political leaders are building platforms around division, developing an us-versus-them mentality targeting Muslims. The provincial government’s planned bill banning “religious symbols” from certain public jobs, including education, is one example. In a very strong statement published in Le Journal de Montreal, the head of “La Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE),” a teachers’ union in Quebec, called the proposed bill what it is: a “hijab hunt.”

The list of actions that further alienate Muslim Quebecers and other cultural communities goes on. Quebec’s newly appointed minister responsible for the status of women added to the already heated climate in the province by stating that the Muslim hijab is “a symbol of oppression.” A Gatineau city councillor told a newspaper that “Islamophobia is a problem invented by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.”

At the federal level, Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer was called out for falsely claiming the UN Global Compact on Immigration that Canada expressed its readiness to sign onto would allow foreign governments to dictate our country’s immigration policies. In many of his appearances in the media, Mr. Scheer does not hide what is considered to be a harsh position on immigration and migrants coming into the country.

Instances like this challenge Premier Legault’s insistence that Islamophobia doesn’t exist. It’s alive and well within the province and Canada.

MIKE KEMP VIA GETTY IMAGES

As populist and far-right movements take root across the country, it is more important than ever to renew calls to recognize January 29 as a day of action against Islamophobia. Both the Canadian Muslim Forum (FMC-CMF) and Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) have launched a joint campaign to request the implementation of a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia, which could be an important tool in the fight against all forms of discrimination through systematic efforts that are officially recognized and supported.

There is clearly a problem with Islamophobia in this country and it should be acknowledged matter-of-factly in order for us to begin tackling the complicated parts of it. Without a doubt such a deep social problem will not be solved by hiding or denying its existence. Open dialogue, strong political will, inclusive policies and human values can and should be used as strong tools used to fight any and all form of hate and bigotry.